Classic Wrestling Game Takes the Limelight at John Cena's Last Monday Night Raw Show

The November 17 installment of Monday Night Raw broadcast on Netflix showcased Cena's ultimate performance on the program as an competing wrestler. It also saw the reappearance and confrontation between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns as they joined their individual groups for the upcoming 5-on-5 match at WarGames. Wedged in between the excitement were unexpected moments like AJ Lee helping Maxxine Dupri win the women's Intercontinental Championship, and Dolph Ziggler making a comeback. In such a jam-packed Madison Square Garden show, the attention was taken by Lil Yachty, when he displayed his silver PSP for the camera, demonstrating he was playing SmackDown! vs Raw 2006.

Popular Incident: The Rapper and His Handheld Device

Regardless of everything that transpired on this historic Raw, it was Lil Yachty and his PSP that trended online. Is it because of the public's lasting love for Sony's handheld console? Is it because people fondly remember the greatness of the SmackDown! vs. Raw franchise? Or perhaps, because WWE fans have little enthusiasm for the newer 2K games?

Delving Into SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006: A Iconic Title

For those who don't know, SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 signified the franchise's first appearance on the PSP and was the final entry in the SmackDown! vs. Raw line to remain exclusive to PlayStation. The game shifted the franchise toward increased realism and authenticity, steering clear of the arcade-like feel of earlier titles. It introduced a new momentum meter that controlled the flow of a match, replacing the previous "clean/dirty" and "SmackDown!" meters. Players could opt to wrestle “clean” as a face or “dirty” as a heel, with a endurance feature that diminished as matches grew more intense; flashier moves meant faster fatigue. SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 finally became the top-selling PlayStation 2 release in the entire series.

Progression of the Franchise

The franchise started with WWF SmackDown! on the original PlayStation and continued as an yearly release, excluding in 2021. It remained a PlayStation exclusive until WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2007, which introduced the franchise to additional platforms. In 2013, the series was relabeled as WWE 2K, beginning with WWE 2K14.

Innovations and Exclusive Elements

Previously, the SmackDown! vs. Raw games dominated and felt like an progression of titles from the N64 era, due to improved graphics. When the franchise shifted to PlayStation 2, that feeling only heightened as titles with crisp visuals, new gaming modes, and story-driven storylines were steadily introduced.

The PSP edition of SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 includes elements not found on its PS2 equivalent, including three unique side games available from the start. The first, "WWE Game Show," quizzes players with 500 wrestling questions encompassing everything from music and finishers to history and feuds, sometimes using audio clips or video snippets. The other two minigames are a poker game and "Eugene’s Airplane," where players guide Eugene (whose gimmick is being an intellectually challenged wrestling savant) around the ring as quickly as possible.

Sentiment and Legacy

The older SmackDown! vs. Raw games were very zany, even when they aimed for more realistic gameplay. The franchise transitioned toward full-on simulations with the 2K games, missing the out-of-the-box ideas of their predecessors. But the older titles also acted as time capsules of some of our cherished eras of wrestling.

It's possible fans are sentimental for a comparable, more "fun-based" time in their wrestling games. It could be the joy of seeing a celebrity honoring the greatness of the PSP, like the rest of the internet does, is what made folks cheer for Yachty. Or perhaps SmackDown! vs. Raw 2006 was truly exceptional, and mirrors an similarly great era of wrestling, one that was led by John Cena, who will step away from in-ring competition on Dec. 13, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.